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It's Been a Minute

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Want in on a secret? Your likes and dislikes didn't develop by accident. There are subtle and not-so-subtle forces around you, shaping what you think, how you act, and even who you think you are. Brittany Luse is here to break the spell and help you feel wiser in a society that makes things blurry.

THE BEST POP CULTURE PODCAST AWARD WINNER AT THE 2025 SIGNAL AWARDS

It’s Been A Minute with Brittany Luse is the best podcast for understanding what’s going on in culture right now, and helps you consume it smarter. From how politics influences pop culture to how identity influences tech or health, Brittany makes the picture clearer for you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.It’s Been A Minute reaches millions of people every week. Join the community and conversation today.

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  • Friday · 20 min

    How will Gen Z independents shape the midterms?

    Has Gen Z changed how we think about independents? It's no secret that Americans are politically divided, as faith in political parties erodes. In the past, so-called "independent" voters were likely shifting between Democrats and Republicans. But now, especially Gen-Z, are pushing in new directions, far from the center. In this episode, we explore how "independent" became a rallying cry for change on the left and the right. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • Wednesday · 17 min

    A chatbot a day keeps the doctor away

    Who do you trust to help you make decisions about your sexual health? In the absence of widespread public health campaigns and high-profile narratives in TV and film about HIV prevention, Gen Z is turning to their chatbots of choice to help them make decisions regarding their sexual health. While some call it innovative, is there something that gets missed when the hard conversations about safety and pleasure become a digital feedback loop? Brittany is joined by Jerrell K.L. Hardnett, Associate Director of Education and Advocacy at GLAAD, and Dr. Samantha Hill, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University to find out. Want more episodes on AI's influence on culture? You might be suffering from AI brain fry Generative AI's race problem Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • Tuesday · 32 min

    How artists conquer Tiny Desk

    What makes a great Tiny Desk concert? For NPR’s Tiny Desk Creative Director Bobby Carter, success means making space for an artist's creativity within the show’s strict technical parameters -- no speakers, no in-ear monitors, no amplification. It’s a tough space to master, but after 14 years of producing shows, Bobby Carter knows what works. He loves when artists adapt to the space and “you get these little moments where you get a piece of their personality.” This week Brittany chats with him about his favorite shows, his dream guests, and the future of Tiny Desk. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • Monday · 34 min

    The sport of online harassment

    Non-consensually posted intimate images can devastate women – and beget male bonding. The burner accounts on X loosely grouped into the “burnerverse” started by bonding over college sports – but soon took a darker turn when some of them began trying to make salacious rumors or non-consensual intimate images of young women and their names go viral. Ej Dickson investigated the burnerverse for Wired, profiling one of these women who were doxxed – and found links between these burner accounts and college fraternities. But what makes misogyny such a potent tool for men’s bonding? And with laws against non-consensually distributed intimate images in all 50 states – how is it still happening at scale? To talk more about the culture that supports this kind of harassment and the structures that keep it in place, Brittany is joined by Ej Dickson, senior culture writer at wired, and Dr. Mary Anne Franks, professor at the George Washington University Law School and president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 16 · 28 min

    Who gets to keep the lights on?

    As our climate crisis continues to unfold, who gets to keep the lights on? On August 11th, a derecho hit northwest Indiana, and the predominantly Black city of Gary was left without power for 14 days… which makes it one of the longest power outages in modern US history, according to Electric Choice. As more and more reports of outages and struggling infrastructure come out of these seasonal storms, it made Brittany wonder: How does where we live - or even certain attitudes about where we live - affect the quality of service we get? To answer that question, Jenae Barnes, health and environment reporter, and Shalanda Baker, Professor of Environment and Sustainability; Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan join the show. Jenae and Shalanda walk Brittany through how our aging power grid - coupled with climate change, the strain of new technologies, and a lack of investment - exposes the systemic shortcomings that very well might leave all of us in the dark. NIPSCO’s full message to their customers here. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 14 · 27 min

    The high flying girls who desegregated America

    She's America's sweetheart, but she just might be America's superhero as well. The American cheerleader has become one of the nation's most cemented symbols of femininity, girlhood, and youthful power. But how does paying attention to the real life experiences of cheerleaders tell a different story about America's history of education, race, and gender? Brittany is joined by Dr. Natalie G. Adams, editor of The Cheer Reader, and contributor Dr. Amira Rose Davis to find out. Interested in more conversations on sports and gender? Check out these episodes: Would you let your kids play football? The strange politics of Pilates Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 13 · 39 min

    Nowadays, celebrity is a state of mind

    We’re in an era where everyone can be a celebrity. And that’s okay! For the past ten years, Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, hosts of the podcast Who? Weekly, have dissected the celebrity landscape. From the declining power of A-List celebrities to the rising power of influencers, the duo have investigated how fame and power have shifted over the last decade. They’ve asked the question: ‘Who gets to be famous?’ And discovered, ‘ well, nowadays, anyone.’ I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody Is a Celebrity is their new book where they explore what they've learned about the ephemeral nature of fame, celebrity, and our collective obsession with reality television. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 12 · 25 min

    The proposal to know less about America

    Census data about race can be incredibly important – but we might lose it. The Trump administration has proposed to stop asking people in the U.S. about their race and ethnicity in the upcoming 2030 census. But what's the point of getting rid of these questions? And what makes the narratives around our nation's demographics so fraught? To get into it, Brittany is joined by Russell Contreras, senior race and justice reporter at Axios, and Hansi Lo Wang, a correspondent at NPR who covers voting rights and the census. For more episodes about policy and culture, check out: Bacteria is taking over the food pyramid Is your city shaped by yuppie taste? Don't get got by big MILK (00:00) Understanding the Trump administration's census proposal (02:58) Will the government stop collecting data on race? (05:34) What we use race data for (10:04) The proposal to stop counting some non-citizens in the census (14:42) How shifting categories might change census data (20:52) Who's afraid of America's changing demographics? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 9 · 27 min

    The Palestinians telling their own stories

    Palestinians are challenging the narrative one story at a time. Editor-in-Chief of The Key, Sara Yasin, wants us to rethink what she calls ‘it’s complicated' journalism. As more young people are exposed to the destruction in Gaza -- outside of traditional media outlets -- Sara wanted to provide a space where Palestinians can speak freely about what’s going on around them. Enter: The Key, an online publication that focuses on “analysis, interviews, essays, reviews and reportage about Palestine.” Sara joins the show to get into The Key, what ‘fairness’ looks like for mainstream media in this moment, and how power informs framing. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 7 · 26 min

    The secret pain of your high school bully

    Some of life's hardest lessons are learned in high school. In Jocelyn Bioh's Broadway play, School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, the ladies of Aburi Girls' Boarding School live these hard lessons through their friendships, feuds, and the upcoming Miss Ghana 1986 beauty pageant. But what does a play about teenagers in the 80s have to tell us about gossip, girlhood, and how it feels to not be chosen for reasons out of your control? Brittany is joined by playwright Jocelyn Bioh and director Whitney White to find out. Want more conversations on theater and culture? Check out these episodes: 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board Has Broadway lost its way? Tony nominee Jocelyn Bioh puts braiders centerstage Cole Escola literally changes history in 'Oh, Mary!' Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 6 · 35 min

    Is loving your mother worth the pain?

    Author Mary H.K. Choi is obsessed with her mom. New York Times bestselling author, Mary H.K Choi, is known for her young adult novels Emergency Contact and Yolk. But her latest novel, Pool House, is for adults, and details the relationship between a Korean-American D-list actress in her 40s and her 20-year old daughter, who’s always lived in her mother’s shadow. Today’s chat is all about families – how they change, how they don’t, and why we keep on loving the ones who hurt us the most. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 5 · 32 min

    When did it become OK to blast TikToks in public?

    There are deep roots behind the latest entry into public noise. It’s a now-common scenario: you’re using public transit, or waiting at the airport, or dining in a restaurant, when you hear the tinny music and computerized voice-overs of someone scrolling TikTok – no headphones. This aggravated All Things Considered producer and writer Manuela López Restrepo enough to look into it. And what she found was a rich history of how public noise works in our culture: who is allowed to make (or avoid it), who gets punished – and the companies that seem to get off scot-free. Manuela shares her reporting with Brittany and they dive deep into the politics and policy of noise. For more episodes about culture and civic life, check out: Is your neighborhood riddled with dog poop? The safety and power of knowing your neighbors Is your city shaped by yuppie taste? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • October 2 · 25 min

    So you wanna be a critic...

    Social media has made it easy for everyone to give their opinion...so why do people hate critics? To answer that question Brittany is joined by Lovia Gyarkye, culture editor at Hammer and Hope, a magazine dedicated to Black culture and politics. Lovia’s spent the bulk of her career researching, reflecting, and writing about the films, artists, and celebrities we’ve come to love. And in that process, she’s found ways to embrace curiosity and skepticism, two essential parts of being a critic. Today on the show, Lovia defines what being a critic means for her, the ‘thinking’ problem so many of us face, and the power of giving something your sustained attention. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 30 · 27 min

    Bacteria is taking over the food pyramid

    How do you know what's safe to eat? You don't. And after a summer full of food recalls from lettuce to blueberries and even jalapeños, a regular trip to the grocery store can start to feel like a dangerous game. But how are the flaws in our food safety system creating issues beyond what we choose to grab in the produce aisle? To find out, Brittany is joined by Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Want more episodes on food, access, and power? Check these out: The politics of hunger Think the Medicaid cuts don't affect you? Think again. You can read Eric's piece, "Should We Be Afraid of Our Food?" in the Atlantic. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 29 · 34 min

    Help, America is in a sex drought!

    Who's afraid of a horny movie? According to Bobbi Miller, culture critic and host of Culture Kitsch, horny movies pique our carnal curiosities. Sometimes there's an overall horny show like Heated Rivalry or movie like Wicker. Other times, you have elements of horniness present, in movies like Sinners, The Handmaiden, and In the Mood for Love. But it seems like on the whole, Hollywood is still shying away from horny-forward art, even though romance adaptations are exploding in popularity. So what’s going on here? And why it is hard to find these horny depictions onscreen? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 28 · 29 min

    Is the internet choosing your food?

    Recipes online seem to have all become… kind of the same. They're described in lots of words that end in y – creamy, jammy, lemony – and they tend to use lots of globally sourced pastes like miso, gochujang and harissa. The luscious photos and videos that accompany them border on erotic. But how did this become the norm? What has the internet done to our palates – and what do today's tastes say about us? To find out, Brittany is joined by Ruby Tandoh, cookbook writer and the author of All Consuming: Why We Eat the Way We Eat Now. (00:00) Why online recipes all seem the same (01:59) What shapes our tastes? (03:28) How food influencers capture your attention (06:53) 'Twist culture': why there's miso in everything (09:30) American food is inescapable (13:03) The roots of 'silly little drink' culture (16:58) How algorithms drive orthorexic food ideas (19:20) The rise of ultra-processed 'healthy' foods (24:47) The politics of cooking and performative homemaking For more episodes about food culture and how we eat, check out: It's healthy to eat your feelings. Here's why. Is your city shaped by yuppie taste? The heavy weight of diet culture Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 25 · 19 min

    The power of giving & receiving advice

    Got first date jitters? Maybe your siblings are already starting drama ahead of the holidays? Or perhaps you need tips on supporting a friend through a hard time? You’re in good hands, because starting on Monday, September 28th to Wednesday September 30th, from 1pm-2pm ET, Brittany will be hosting a pop-up show called Please Advise, where she'll be giving advice LIVE on WNYC. But first, Brittany’s getting advice on how to give advice. NPR Embedded producer and author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center, Rhaina Cohen joins the show to share her expertise. Because knowing when to chime in with advice -- versus biting your tongue and lending an ear instead -- is an artform, and Rhaina has some insight on it all. You can listen to Brittany on Please Advise at WNYC.org. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 23 · 24 min

    Carla Hall on cooking, courage, and curiosity

    For nearly twenty years, chef, author, and actor Carla Hall has taught us to cook from the heart across both screen and stage. Beyond culinary arts, her career path has spanned diverse fields such as accounting and modeling. Today, Carla joins the show to discuss how to navigate your next move with confidence, whether in your career or in the kitchen. Carla's cookbook, Carla Bakes: Sweet, Savory, and from the Heart, is available now. Want more conversations about food and culture? Check out these episodes: A taste of Black Appalachia Your Dinner Party toolkit Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 22 · 41 min

    'Anxious attachment' is popular. But is it real?

    Attachment theory is having a moment online. It’s the concept that the relationship we have with our parents directly impacts how we relate to and interact with others, especially people we’re in relationships with. Are we anxious? Are we avoidant? Can this be the reason we keep getting our hearts broken? We’re joined by friend of the podcast and our guide to the modern dating world, NPR producer Manuela Lopez Restrepo; Dr. Marisa G. Franco, author of Worth: The New Science of Self Esteem and Secure Attachment; and Tatum Hunter, journalist and content creator, to understand the science behind attachment theory and what everybody keeps getting wrong. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 21 · 25 min

    Are we in a 'color recession'?

    Are neutrals dominating your color palette? Our world is looking kind of gray. Not the trees, the grass or the sky – but the cars, the buildings, the houses, and the decor and appliances in them. Neutrals dominate – like the famous “Millennial gray.” There are a lot of reasons, both structural and cultural, why color is leaching out of some of our most important and most expensive possessions – but what do we think our colors say about us? And what role does color play in our lives today? To get into it, Brittany is joined by Amogh Dimri, assistant editor at The Atlantic and the writer of a piece about “the color recession,” and Katy Kelleher, a writer, editor, and author of the book The Ugly History of Beautiful Things. (00:00) What does the color recession look like? (02:26) How American cities lost their color (06:26) Who's really picking 'Millennial gray'? (08:28) What color choices say about class (13:15) Why color might be scary (20:33) Finding the freedom to be colorful For more episodes on tastes, design and material culture, check out: Fashion isn't art. It's something more. The ugly truth of America's expensive homes The hard work of having "good taste" Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

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